Love Songs
by Fritz Baugh
Summary: Sequel to "Enlightenment". Ray and Liz have saved Dragonsfall and returned to Earth; what comes next?
1. Please

**Ghostbusters: Love Songs-Please**

 **By Fritz Baugh**

* * *

 **Previously**

* * *

Once upon a time in Romania, two teams met while investigating the same vampire lord. One team was the world-famous Ghostbusters-Dr. Ray Stantz, Dr. Egon Spengler, Winston Zeddemore, and Dr. Peter Venkman. The other team was the far-less-famous (by design) "Inquisitors" -Liz Hawthorne (the wizard Lady Enlightenment), Father Diego Portenza, Barney Lupin (the werewolf Nightclaw), and Lilly Peacecraft.

Boy (Ray) met Girl (Liz) and some sparks started to fly.

A few weeks later, the Ghostbusters and the Inquisitors met again, along with the Prince of Warlocks Phineus Eventide, his familiar Tarantula, and the Archmage of the Winds, Zandrik Fallagar. Together, they defeated the Zodiac Lords, with the help of Eventide's noble sacrifice; he asked Fallagar to look after his cat.

More sparks also flew between Ray and Liz.

Three years later, when Liz came to Ray for help defending Dragonsfall from a horde of undead, things were different. The Ghostbusters had broken up. Ray was an engineering professor at Stanford. But with the help of Barney, a hobgoblin butler, and a couple of foulmouthed Cockney halflings, Ray and Liz saved Dragonsfall.

In the process, the sparks turned into a fire; in the afterglow of victory, Ray Stantz and Liz Hawthorne consummated the attraction that had grown between them.

But now, absent the danger, and the mystery, and returned once more to the mundane world, will their love prove real?

(Longtime readers have a pretty good idea...but let's just see how it happened...)

* * *

 **Magvillus, in the Apennine Mountains of Italy.**  
 **September 13, 1994**  
 **The Twenty-Second Day of Virgo in the Fourth Year of the Age of Aquarius**  
 **Ghostbusters Omnibus Timeline Year Twelve**

* * *

Quaesitor Enlightenment, Filia of Lady Persuasion, Follower of Guernicus."

Liz Hawthorne stepped forward. "As ordered, Prima."

Anna Hardwyck, Prima of Guernicus, Chief Quaesitor of the Order of Hermes, was a stern woman; she looked as though she were just on the cusp of middle age, but as Liz well knew, she was in truth over a century old. "The Magvillus Council has called you here in regards to the report you delivered to us on the Twentieth Day of Cancer."

"I await your assessment, Prima."

"My assessment-the assessment of all gathered-is that you have completed your duties to the Order and the Quaesitors in an exemplary fashion, as you always have." Hardwyck replied. "Quaesitor Duodecimus Dox, Follower of Mercere?"

Another Quaesitor, one dressed in a red robe, stood up. "We compared your descriptions of Dragonsfall Covenant to those in the House Mercere records. While as your report states, you cannot be certain whether the Dragonsfall regio was transported from the original site, or is a reconstruction of it, it does match the descriptions on file."

Liz nodded. "I thank you for your assessment, Quaesitor."

"I also wish to inform the Prima of Guernicus that among the documents that returned with Quaesitor Enlightenment was a missive to House Mercere." Dox added. "The missive gives House Mercere the means to deliver messages to Dragonsfall and Archmage Fallagar in accordance to Hermetic custom."

Quaesitor Dox was not a member of House Guernicus. Early in the Order's history, it was decided that members of other Houses would be eligible for Quaesitor status-at least one member of each other House at any given time. Duodecimus Dox was the Quaesitor of House Mercere.

"Combined with prior testimony at the Special Tribunal of 2122 of the Magus Dominus, the Father of the Legion of Mithras, and the Primus of Criamon, the Magvillus Council officially declares Zandrik Fallagar, Filius of Delphia, to have once more returned to the Order, and to be subject to the rights, responsibilities, privileges, and protections of the Code of Hermes."

"I am pleased to hear that, Prima." Liz said, bowing.

Another Quaesitor chuckled. Like Dox, he was not a member of House Guernicus. "Does Quaesitor Garamonte, Follower of Tytalus, have something to add to this hearing?"

"Nothing of legal relevance, Prima." Garland Garamonte shook his head, rolling his eyes. "Just contemplating the political mess this is dropping me into. Forgive me for hoping that the Redcaps are somewhat...uncharacteristically lacking in due diligence in giving this news to Primus Marangoudakis. He'll no doubt be testing the system with Wizard's War declarations immediately thereafter."

Dox chuckled. "I cannot promise anything." There was a round of laughter throughout the room.

"I have faith that the Archmage will be able to handle anything that comes of it." Liz said.

"More seriously, I think there will be some interest from House Merinita as well." another Quaesitor said. "This community of fae folk that were sheltered in Dragonsfall after the Shattering...that's just astounding."

"Do you have anything to add, Quaesitor Enlightenment?" Hardwyck asked.

"No, Prima."

"Then you are dismissed. And once again, good job."

* * *

It wasn't much surprise at all that someone was waiting outside the Council chamber: Lady Persuasion, Liz's Hermetic mentor, and first cousin once removed (birth name: Tegan Fielding).

After a quick embrace, "Aunt Tegan" led Liz to a place they could talk: the same fountain in the middle ward in which Tegan had presented to Liz the brooch now pinned to Liz's jacket.

"It's been a while since we've seen each other face to face, isn't it?" Liz realized.

Tegan nodded. "The Fortieth Grand Tribunal in 1987. You were in Nevada during the regionals in '91, and not long after that you got the assignment in Dragonsfall. So it's been over seven years. Have you contacted your family, yet?"

"I phoned my Mother right after I got back in this dimension." Liz replied. "She says Cheryl's doing well, and Jay's grown so much I won't recognize him." Liz chuckled. "I think I'm more worried he won't recognize me."

"I admit, I'm surprised you stayed so long." Tegan said.

"Well, it was quite interesting." Liz explained. "There's a small community of very fascinating individuals; I grew quite fond of a couple of squabbling halflings and the hobgoblin butler and a few others. The Archmage had some very interesting books available too-insights into magic theory and astronomy. And I didn't neglect my magic..." She held two fingers together and a small flicker of flame played around them. "I finally sat down and learned Pilum of Flame, for example."

Tegan laughed. "Well, glad to see the time wasn't wasted."

"You have no idea..." Liz said, with a sly smile.

"I know that look." Tegan raised an eyebrow. "I just haven't seen it for a long time. The Academy days, in fact."

Liz laughed. "Good grief...you'd think after all these years you couldn't see through me quite as well. Well...you're right. Something did happen." She exhaled. "I'm in love, Aunt Tegan."

Tegan chuckled for a second, and then suddenly her posture stiffened. "Oh God, no...Liz, I know the Archmage is charming, and all that knowledge and experience has to be intriguing, but the man's over eight hundred years old! He couldn't possibly see people and their lives the way we do-some of the elders of the Order don't hide it as well, but..."

"Wha-?" Liz interrupted. "The Archmage? You think I'm in love with the Archmage?!"

"Are you?"

"Heavens no..." Liz shook her head. "Like you said, he's just too...different. Plus he's a little too scrawny for me."

"Then I hope it wasn't one of the squabbling halflings or the hobgoblin butler. Human/fae...'interactions' can be a bit problematic, as just about anyone in House Merinita shows."

Liz laughed again. "I assure you, Aunt Tegan, he's human." A smile came over her face. "Very, very human."

Tegan crossed her arms. "So how long am I going to be kept in suspense, then?"

Liz breathed deeply again, then cast a wary glance or two around. "You're probably not going to believe this, but...his name is Ray." She looked around again. "Ray Stantz. The former Ghostbuster Ray Stantz."

Aunt Tegan just about fell off the bench. After she took a furtive look around too, she leaned in close. "I read what the Council would let me from your reports on the...events...in Romania and Stonehenge three years ago. I knew you'd met them, but..."

"When I left Dragonsfall to seek help, I materialized in Palo Alto..." A slight blush came to Liz's cheeks for some reason. "Which is where he was. I'd always found him the most interesting of the four, back when we researched them for the Tribunal, and then I actually met him."

Liz sighed. "He's just...adorable in real life, Aunt Tegan. Every bit as brainy as..." Liz paused, not wanting to say the name. Tegan understood. "Very intelligent, but not full of himself. In fact, a little bit shy at first. But earnest, helpful, energetic, imaginative. And he's a genuine bona-fide hero, having faced down a number of horrors that would put most of the Legion of Mithras to shame...and having not lost the ability to smile or laugh that sweet laugh..."

"Oh wow, you do have it bad..." Tegan rolled her eyes.

Liz chuckled. "Yeah, I guess that did sound a little over the top...but it's how I feel. I haven't felt like this in a long...no." Liz shook her head. "I've never felt like this. It's never felt so right."

Tegan nodded. "Be careful."

"I don't think Ray Stantz has it in him to do anything to hurt me, Aunt Tegan."

"I'm not talking about him, Elizabeth." Tegan shook her head. "He and his friends are not loved by many in the Order, especially not after Stonehenge."

Liz made an angry noise. "The Ghostbusters didn't cause Stonehenge! They stopped the Zodiac Lords! They kept it from being even worse than it is!"

"I know that. You know that more than any living member of the Order." Tegan replied. "But not everyone feels that way. All they know is that something happened that the Ghostbusters were involved in, and their power has been seriously compromised since. If it was discovered that a Quaesitor was involved with one..."

Liz stood up, and there was a resolve to her expression that unnerved Tegan a bit. "Have the Ghostbusters been declared enemies of the Order since I've been gone?"

"Of course not."

"Which means that my relationship with one of them is not the Order's business." Liz stated firmly. "And all of it's moot anyway-the Ghostbusters dissolved and went their separate ways three years ago. I am a Quaesitor, after all-I know where the lines are."

Tegan nodded. "I feel sorry for anybody who tries to make a case otherwise."

Liz's expression softened. "Thank you, Aunt Tegan."

Tegan smiled. "Indeed, I look forward to the day I meet this young man."

* * *

 **Moscow, Idaho**  
 **October 13, 1994**  
 **The Twenty-First Day of Libra**

* * *

Ray Stantz rolled his eyes as Peter Venkman's adenoidal crooning of "Happy Birthday" finally finished. "Thank you, Peter".

 _"Well, you know, not every day you turn...what is it, twenty-nine with six years experience, right?"_

"Thirty-five, Peter." Ray replied, adjusting the phone receiver. "Not all of us are scared of getting older."

 _"Freak"_ Venkman quipped. _"So...any of the college girls ask to see your birthday suit?"_

Even though Venkman couldn't see him, Ray rolled his eyes. "Of course not, Peter. Good grief, I thought you didn't worry about stuff like that anymore. You've been married for over two years now, with a daughter!"

 _"Married, not dead..."_ Venkman chuckled. _"Heard from any of the others yet?"_

"Aunt Lois called first thing in the morning, like she always does." Ray replied. "Winston actually called yesterday-he said he'd be busy with his flight classes today and didn't think he'd be able to make the time. I got a card from Janine."

 _"She couldn't call? It's not like she doesn't know how the phone works. I dunno, maybe that means she and Ziggy worked it out and she's, you know, waaay toooo tiiired."_

Ray bit his lip. "I really doubt it, Peter. And no, I didn't hear from him."

 _"I wasn't even gonna ask."_ Venkman snapped, the bitterness unmistakable.

"Anyway..." Ray coughed. "I got the latest pictures Dana sent of Jessica. She's definitely got your grin, Peter."

 _"I know, right? She thinks just because she's the most adorable creature that has ever walked the Earth, she can get away with anything. She stole Oscar's Power Ranger shirt the other day and wouldn't give it back-says she likes it better than the 'pink stuff' Dana buys her."_

"Yeah, no way she could end up being a complete slob or anything. Well, except if maybe her father was a complete slob."

 _"I resemble that remark"_ Venkman replied.

Ray sighed. "There is someone I kinda hoped I'd hear from today that I didn't, though."

 _"Oh?"_

"There's something I haven't told you yet, Peter." Ray fidgeted with his tie. "I'm in love."

 _"Yeah, I've heard this before."_ Venkman laughed. _"So which one of those cartoon babes is it this time? That Japanese show with the sailor girls DiC's working on?"_

"No!" Ray rolled his eyes. "It's a real flesh and blood one this time!"

 _"It's the Pink Power Ranger, isn't it? We went through this back when you got that crush on Donna Dixon...being in movies and TV is practically the same thing as being imaginary. And I work in movies-I know."_

"I'm serious here, Peter."

The line was silent for a few seconds.

 _"It's Liz the Wiz, isn't it?"_

"For the last time, I..." Ray stopped. "Yeah...How'd you figure it out so quick?"

 _"Well, there's not a long list, when we get serious about it. And c'mon, this was a woman that literally walked right past me to go talk to you."_ Venkman answered. _"I mean, she was nuts about you, you were nuts about her, and why is it that we ex-Ghostbuster guys always gotta make it more complicated than that?"_

"Well, in my case she went away on business for three years." Ray answered.

 _"So..."_

"But then, back in June, she needed my help with something." Ray told him, stopping for a second to guiltily savor the memory of her arrival that day. "And when it was finished, she had to go turn in a report, but then she came back and helped me get moved in here in Idaho."

 _"I can imagine those dancing brooms can be kinda helpful, yeah."_

"And then after a few more weeks, she had go back to the Order but said she hoped to make it back as soon as she could." Ray sighed. "That was over a month ago."

 _"Well, maybe she'll make it back for Christmas"_ Venkman quipped. _"I gotta go, Ray-sounds like Dana and the kids are back._

"Give them my regards, Peter."

 _"I will, Buddy. Happy birthday again."_

Ray sighed as he hung up the phone. _I'm still not used to spending my birthday alone. After Mom and Dad died Aunt Lois was always there...then Peter and Egon and Janine and Winston...but now, not even..._ He shook his head. _I can't think of it that way._

Ray sighed as he looked through his mail. _Captain Steel #349_ _...next issue's gonna be the big thirtieth anniversary issue...I hope Len remembers he promised me all the cover variants...Oh, hey,_ _Time_ _finally made it. 'Sex In America: Surprising news from the most important survey since the Kinsey Report'._ He blushed unconsciously, but couldn't help thinking. _But what if you're having sex with a Canadian?_

There was a knock at his door.

When he opened it, Liz Hawthorne was standing there.

"Happy Birthday!" she said cheerfully, with just a hint of mischief.

"It is now!" Ray admitted.

* * *

 **October 14, 1994**

* * *

"You're up already?" Ray heard her say as he came out of the bathroom, adjusting his sweater vest.

She was laying on her stomach, giving Ray a quite splendid look at her quite splendid posterior.

"I'm not on wizard time, Liz." Ray chuckled. "I'm on mundane time, which means it's Friday, which means I have a lab to supervise this morning."

"Oh...yeah...sorry..." she said, looking a little embarrassed.

"I shouldn't be all that long-probably back for lunch." he said, kissing her on the forehead. "Sorry."

"Oh, don't be." She grinned. "I guess I better get up and do something with my time-I am a lot better prepared than last time I surprised you in a university."

Ray nodded. "True." He looked away as she got up and put on robe-because he was afraid that if he watched his resolve to go to work would crumble. _There's all weekend, after all_. "I got a radio, and a TV here, so hopefully you can find something to watch."

"I doubt you get CBC here, but I'll be okay." She kissed him. "Do what you need to do-don't hurry back on my account."

"Well...I can't promise I won't be back a lot earlier than I would be if you weren't here!" _Oh God, did that sound as dumb as I think it does?_

She laughed, and playfully rushed him out the apartment door.

* * *

 **That Evening**

* * *

"...I really want to see the new Wes Craven movie." Ray said as he munched on his cheeseburger. "I was really excited a couple years ago when he was talking about doing a _Deadly Doctor Crowley_ reboot, but that fell through and instead he's doing another Freddy movie. Sorta."

Liz laughed. "Go with what you know, I guess." She smiled. "It sounds just fine, Ray."

"Great!" Ray said.

"Though I saw commercials for a new movie with Dan Aykroyd in it."

"I hear that one's not very good." Ray shook his head. "Peter says they took an, er, in his words 'super kinky romance novel' and grafted on some kinda comedy detective plot." Ray looked confused for a second. "But if you'd rather..."

"No!" Liz shook her head. "It sounds dreadful."

Ray laughed. "Well, I mean, I never claimed to be a movie expert..."

* * *

"Do you like it here?" Liz asked. It was dark, and they were just leaving the theatre.

"Oh yeah." Ray nodded. "It's not New York, or even Stanford, but it's great. I mean, I try not to get too far away from the University-outside of town everyone is basically my brother Carl."

Liz laughed. "Bad, I take it?"

Ray shrugged. "Well, I mean, Carl's almost every militaristic conservative stereotype you can imagine. Unless he's changed in the last fifteen years, which I doubt. I can only imagine how mad he was when our sister Jean came out as a bisexual-it would have almost been worth seeing except he probably would have just punched me."

Liz's face scrunched.

"I told you back during the Zodiac crisis my family doesn't get along." Ray shook his head. "I mean, I'm close to my Aunt Lois. She got along with my Dad. But even they...well, they had a brother, my Uncle Gaylord, that I never met even though he lived in New York. I wonder if there's some sort of family curse. It is possible, I guess-maybe one of my ancestors pissed off a Likho or something."

"I know some good exorcists." Liz said.

"Well, so do I." Ray replied.

They both laughed.

Things were quiet as they got into Ray's car, the same beat-up Mustang he'd been driving for the previous two years.

"Sorry the car's so ratty." Ray shrugged.

Liz shook her head amiably. "You never rode in Barney's truck-compared to that, this is a limousine."

"We're talking about exorcists, but here we are doing something so...normal." Liz mused after another minute or so. "We're not hunting vampires, or stopping the world from being destroyed, or saving extradimensional creatures from being slaughtered. We're just...a man and a woman on a date."

Ray felt a bit nervous all of a sudden. "Are you okay?"

"I'm just fine." she nodded. "Better than I ever thought I could be..."

A few minutes later, they were back at his apartment. She sat on the couch and he brought her a Coke.

"I admit, I feel bad for you, Ray." She said. "I mean, I spend a lot of time away from my family, too...but it's because of my job. When I do see them, it's always a happy occasion-and I guess I never stay anywhere long enough for them to get annoyed with me."

"I don't see how that's possible." Ray shrugged.

"Everybody has their breaking point." Liz said. "I love my Aunt Tegan-she's the one who taught me the magic arts-but there were times I was glad to get away from her."

"Well, it's like you said back in London-you think if you stayed in one place, you might go insane."

Liz nodded. "And then I did stay in one place for three years. But I started to...well...I loved the feeling of almost belonging someplace. But it just wasn't quite right. I was missing something. I was missing someone."

Ray felt his throat go dry. "Liz, I..."

"Let me finish..." she held up a hand. "I've been trying to come up with the right words for months, and I think I may almost have it if you don't interrupt me."

He nodded.

"When I first became an official wizard, I told Aunt Tegan I wanted to roam the world for a while-I'd been in Orford and Cambridge for most of the previous nine years, and I felt boxed in. I wanted to see the world. And I did."

"I spent time in Italy...in Hong Kong...in England...in Nevada...in Romania..I've seen things that..." she smiled knowingly. "...That anybody but you couldn't even imagine."

Ray nodded. "Scotland, Paris, Tokyo...I could name more. And a lot of places people don't even know exist."

"See? That's it right there-you understand." Liz said. "You believe that what I do is real-not a lot of people do. Or even could."

"I know exactly what that's like." Ray nodded again.

"And out of those who do, or could, none of them are like you." she said, putting her arms around his waist. "Which is why the one place I always want to come back to is right here. Not Idaho; I mean, the one place I always want to come back to is where ever you are."

She kissed him.

"I love you, Ray." Liz said.

"I love you too, Liz." Ray replied.

"Marry me."

Ray felt a jolt go through his body. "Marry you?"

Liz's eyes were misting. "I want to make sure you know that I will always make it back to you."

"I..." Ray stuttered.

But he only took a second to answer.

A lot of thought coursed through his mind in that one second. He thought of Peter, who's fear of commitment led to five years of heartache, and a son who had another man's blood running in his veins; he thought of Egon and Janine, and the infuriating dance of opportunities they both missed and squandered out of fear; even Winston and Kaila took a surprising eight years to make it to the altar.

 _I love her. She loves me. And sometimes it really is_ _ **just that simple**_.

"Hell yes." Ray replied, bringing the two of them together in a long, deep kiss.

* * *

 _Please  
Please  
Let me grow old with you  
After everything we've been through  
What's left to prove?_

-Bernie Taupin, 1994

* * *

Based on _Ghostbusters_ Created by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis

* * *

Ectozone Editorial Staff: Dr. Vincent Belmont, EGB Fan, TheRazorsEdge.  
Additional Beta: Kingpin, OgreBBQ

* * *

Lady Enlightenment created by OgreBBQ and Fritz Baugh

Captain Steel and Len Wolfman from the episode "Captain Steel Saves The Day" (RGB-76061)

Reference made to material from _Ars Magica_ , created by Jonathan Tweet and Mark Rein•Hagen; now owned by Atlas Games save a few concepts owned by White Wolf Games. Anna Hardwyck loosely based on a character from _Mage: The Ascension_ by White Wolf Games. Descriptions of Magvillus based on material from _Tribunals of Hermes: Rome_ by Shannon Appel and Chris Frerking and the Guernicus chapter of _Houses of Hermes: True Lineages_ by David Woods.

Jessica Venkman created by EGBFan.

* * *

#4325-20160117u (27 Cap, 25 Aqu)  
135


	2. Believe

**LOVE SONGS:**  
 **BELIEVE**

By Fritz Baugh

* * *

 **Previously**

* * *

Once upon a time in Romania, two teams met while investigating the same vampire lord. One team was the world-famous Ghostbusters-Dr. Ray Stantz, Dr. Egon Spengler, Winston Zeddemore, and Dr. Peter Venkman. The other team was the far-less-famous (by design) "Inquisitors" -Liz Hawthorne (the wizard Lady Enlightenment), Father Diego Portenza, Barney Lupin (the werewolf Nightclaw), and Lilly Peacecraft.

Boy (Ray) met Girl (Liz) and some sparks started to fly.

It's four years later. Boy and Girl are now planning to become Husband and Wife

* * *

 **Truro, Nova Scotia**  
 **December 20, 1994**  
 **The Twenty-Ninth Day of Sagittarius in the Fourth Year of the Age of Aquarius**  
 **Ghostbusters Omnibus Timeline Year Twelve**

* * *

"Nervous?" Liz asked.

"Extremely" Ray answered. "I mean, this is important. This is your family. If I mess this up and they hate my guts, we both gotta live with it for a long time to come..."

"You won't mess up." Liz shook her head. "Just be yourself."

"I know, I know...but man, I really envy you." Ray managed to make a slight smile. "Since my family mostly hates each other, you only have to worry about my Aunt Lois and Cousin Samantha."

"And I'm sure that's going to be just fine!" Liz pointed out. "I already talked to Aunt Lois on the phone when you told her about the engagement-she was thrilled! You always told me she could get along with just about anybody, remember?"

"Well, yeah...I know..." Ray nodded. "I guess you're right."

"Now there, get used to saying that." She teased.

Ray smiled. _That and "Good Morning, Mrs. Stantz"...And Aunt Lois wasn't_ _nearly_ _as shocked as some other people..._

* * *

Two Months Earlier

* * *

 _"You're WHAT?!"_ Peter Venkman's tinny, shocked voice called from the phone receiver.

"We're getting married, Peter." Ray responded. "Liz and I."

 _"Holy cow, did you get her pregnant that quick?"_ Venkman asked.

"No!' Ray rolled his eyes. "She asked me to marry her; I said yes, it was that simple."

 _"That works? Just agreeing you love each other and getting married without years of breakups and drama?"_ Venkman said, with mock incredulity. _"Who knew?"_

"I figured it was up to me to break that pattern, yeah. Though she did have to go away for three years and I didn't hear from her, so there was a little bit of drama there..."

 _"To be serious for a second...ow, saying that hurts...I...wow...this is awesome, Ray. So...date set yet?"_

"Not yet." Ray shook his head, even though Venkman couldn't see him. "But probably during the summer, between semesters. I'm just getting started here at the U of I, so can't really take an extra time off yet. We're thinking of going to Nova Scotia during Christmas; most likely, that's where the wedding will be, too."

"Oh, well, at least it's not New Jersey." Venkman quipped.

* * *

 **And...**

* * *

 _"Married, huh?"_ Winston Zeddemore whistled. _"Congrats, Man. To you and Liz both."_

"Thanks."

 _"I wish I'd married Kaila sooner...maybe the first time we crapped out of business, but I didn't have any money that time. It was easier in '91..."_

"Well, I always figured when the time was right for two people, they'd know. And we knew."

 _"Yeah..."_ Winston paused for a second. _"So is she still gonna do the wizard thing?"_

"Oh yeah. I mean, I'd never dream of asking her to give it up anymore than she'd have asked me to stop being a Ghostbuster. We're not gonna be together 24/7/365, but we're both okay with that."

 _"Just gonna make up for lost time when you are, right?"_ Winston chuckled. _"Glad to hear. It can be done-there are soldiers and sailors and guys who fly planes for a living who make it work, no reason you can't. You keep me informed on when the date is-I'm hopin' Kaila, Charlene, and I can be there."_

* * *

 **And...**

* * *

 _"I'm really happy for you Ray Janine can't come to the phone right now she stayed out late with her friend Rose and got really drunk so now she has like an enormous hangover and I hope she doesn't lose her job..."_

"I...er...gotta go, Louis."

[CLICK]

* * *

 **And...**

* * *

 _"You have reached the residence of Dr. Egon Spengler. I cannot take your call at this time. If you feel you must, leave a brief message after..."_

[CLICK]

"I keep hoping one of these times he'll pick it up but he never does..."

* * *

 **Now**

* * *

"Of course, as luck would have it as soon as you got off the phone with Egon's answering machine, we had a little surprise dropped on us"

* * *

Then

* * *

"Still didn't answer..." Ray shook his head.

"I'm sorry." Liz told him. "I got your mail-here's something from Bernard."

"Hey! Great! Open it!" Ray said.

Liz did, and they were confronted with a picture of Barney Lupin sitting beneath a sign saying "Trader Vic's". He was sipping a pina colada...

So was Mariko Lupin.

" 'And my hair is perfect.' Barney wrote on the back of the picture." Ray said. " 'PS from Mariko-I never told you this, Doc, but yes, I'm a furry.' "

* * *

 **And Back To Now**

* * *

Liz shook her head and rolled her eyes. "I guess if they're happy...but it makes Bernard a bit of a cradle robber. He's older than either of us...born in 1954 if I remember right...while Mariko..."

Ray nodded. "1974, I think. She got her first degree at 17; second fastest I ever heard of."

"Lizzy!" a female voice called.

"Cheryl!" Liz called back. Ray saw a woman waving at them, and Liz started to wave back.

The woman came up to them, and she embraced Liz warmly. "About time."

"Yeah, well, I couldn't bring anyone else along on my broom, so we had to make due with mundane means of transport."

" 'Broom'?" Ray asked.

"You mean you haven't shown him the broom yet?" the woman teased, elbowing Liz.

Liz laughed. "Just a little joke, Ray. Cheryl, this is Dr. Ray Stantz; Ray, my sister."

"Cheryl Brushett." She shook Ray's hand. "You've been holding out on us-you didn't tell me he was a doctor."

"Actually, my PhD is in Mechanical Engineering with some side degrees in..." Ray started to point out, and then stopped. "Oh. This is another joke, right?" He grinned.

"Well, he learns fast." Cheryl chuckled.

Ray took a second to take a look at Cheryl Hawthorne Brushett. She looked a lot like Liz, though perhaps a bit heavier, but with much larger, fluffier hair.

"Been waiting long?" Cheryl asked.

"Nah. Just got off the train five minutes ago." Liz answered.

"Well, then I think it all worked out, then." Cheryl said. Ray had to admit, he was already starting to like her. "Welcome to Truro, Ray Stantz!"

* * *

"...Actually named for a town in Cornwall." Cheryl continued as she drove.

"I've been there!" Liz giggled. "Aunt Tegan took me there one week when Rein•Hagen was between terms. The Cathedral there was stunning."

"Yeah, yeah, brag about your world-spanning exploits, Lizzy." Cheryl quipped. "Cobequid wasn't as exciting, but I got by."

Ray looked out the window. "So there're lots of trains here? The station was pretty busy and that's like the fifth crossing we've gone through..."

"Yep." Cheryl nodded. "We're the 'Hub of Nova Scotia'-the Canadian National Railway has a major junction here, easy access to Halifax, Montreal, and the Cape Breton lines. My husband works at the terminal."

"Sounds like he'd have a lot to talk about with a couple of my friends." Ray chuckled. "Peter used to say he took engineering for two years before he realized it didn't have anything to do with trains; and he kinda got Winston into it for a while too..."

"Lizzy said you could be a talker." Cheryl said cheerfully. "It'll be interesting to see what Jay thinks of you..."

" 'Jay'?" Ray asked Liz

"My nephew." Liz reminded him.

"Oh yeah...Justin." Ray nodded. "I guess I'm more nervous that I thought."

* * *

"...Can't believe it!" Ten year old Justin "Jay" Brushett fumed. "She broke my Thunder Megazord!"

On the other end of the phone line, his friend Greg sighed. _"Look, there's no way she did it on purpose, Jay."_

"I know, but...it's still broken! How can the Megazord fight Lord Zedd when the Firebird can't connect!"

 _"I still can't believe half the team left. I mean, I like the new guy Adam, but Rocky seems kind of a dork after Jason."_

"Yeah...but at least Kimberly's still there!"

 _"I'm tellin' Lori you said that! I bet that's why she broke it!"_

"Don't you dare!" Jay cried. "And you said she didn't do it on purpose!"

"Jay!" a voice called. "Get off the phone! They're back."

"Okay, Gram!" Jay called back. "I gotta go, Greg-my Mom is getting back with my Aunt Liz and her fiance."

 _"Your weird aunt is getting married?"_ Greg said incredulously. _"So who'd she find to marry her? A werewolf?"_

"My aunt is not weird!" Jay replied. "And I dunno...I think Gram said he's some kinda scientist or something."

 _"A nerd, then?"_

"In case you ain't noticed, Greg..." Jay pointed our. "We're nerds..."

"JUSTIN BRUSHETT!"

"I gotta go before Gram breaks out the middle name." Jay and Greg said their goodbyes, he hung up the phone, and he sauntered into the living room.

* * *

Ray felt a wistful pang as he looked at the Hawthorne house, decked out in Christmas lights. He'd always loved Christmas, despite his parents dying just before Christmas of 1970; he preferred to remember the ten Christmases before that-at least the ones he was old enough to remember-when his father shouted "ho ho ho" every morning, his mother broke out a Gaelic Christmas carol Ray couldn't help thinking sounded dirty, and his brother and sister didn't hate his guts yet.

Maybe a new Christmas memory or two would be born here.

Cheryl opened the door. "We're here!"

"Lizzy!" an older woman called, and raced to embrace her.

"Hi, Mom." Liz responded.

The older woman broke from Liz, and looked Ray over. She had silver hair, but Ray could definitely see the resemblance to her daughters.

"Mom, this is Ray."

"Ray Stantz, Mrs. Hawthorne!" Ray said brightly, extending a hand. "Nice to meet you at last!"

"You're even cuter than Lizzy made you sound!" she said, hugging him. "And none of that 'Mrs. Hawthorne' stuff-you call me Patricia. I insist!"

"Um, sure!" Ray said. "But only if that's really your name."

Patricia Fielding Hawthorne laughed deeply. He liked the sound. "I like him already, Lizzy!"

Ray had to admit, the good first impression was mutual.

"Now where's that grandson of mine?" Patricia looked around. "I called him from his room as soon as I saw Cheryl's car..."

"Probably on the phone with Greg again." Cheryl rolled her eyes. "He's been in a snit since Lori broke one of his toys."

* * *

 _"Your weird aunt is getting married?"_ _Greg can be so stupid..._ Jay thought to himself.

He never thought his aunt was weird...but when he was eight years old he realized how everything his Mom and Gram told him about Aunt Liz didn't quite add up. Something just seemed off to him about all the excuses why she wasn't around much-why she basically dropped out of their lives for three years.

But Jay figured it out.

 _Aunt Liz was a spy._

I mean, it all fit into place. She couldn't talk about her work; Mom and Gram knew what she did, but not all the details because, of course, then Aunt Liz would have to kill them.

But it made sense-she spent so much time away because she was saving the world from drug cartels; evil spies; and mad geniuses, mostly because they couldn't stop boasting about their weird plans of World Domination which gave her time to escape from their death traps and kick them in the face. Then she would drive her high-price sports car to an exclusive spy club and drink shaken martinis while telling her spy friends about her latest conquest.

And she disappeared for three years? Well, clearly it's because she went undercover. Probably to stop some evil organization like Cobra or Shadowlaw. The world is saved because she spent three years away from her family!

Aunt Liz wasn't "weird"-she was freakin' awesome!

And now she's getting married? Yeah...to a "scientist"...right. Probably another spy. He'll have a British accent and look like Timothy Dalton or Pierce Brosnan.

 _I am gonna have the coolest uncle ever_

* * *

 **One Minute Later**

* * *

To say Jay was surprised would be an understatement. _Where was Timothy Dalton or Pierce Brosnan or a young Sean Connery? Who was this slightly pudgy auburn-haired guy? He actually looked...like a scientist. I'm gonna have the lamest uncle ever._

"And this is my nephew, Jay Brushett." Aunt Liz said. "Jay, my fiancé, Dr. Ray Stantz."

"Yeah, hello..." Jay started to grumble as he shook the man's hand.

Then it hit him.

His eyes went wide.

"Nice to meet you, Jay!" Ray said, a note of nervousness appearing in his voice.

"Jay?" Cheryl asked, noticing her son's sudden reaction.

"Ray Stantz?!" Jay asked excitedly. "You're Ray Stantz, the Ghostbuster?!"

Ray looked at Liz. She shrugged.

"Well, I mean, I was. But..." Ray started to say.

"My Aunt Liz is marrying Ray Stantz?!" Jay said, now more clearly excited. "Ray Stantz is gonna be my Uncle! My Uncle Ray is a Ghostbuster!"

"Um..."

"This is AWESOME!" Jay said, now running around the room. "You were my favorite! I even have the toys! The only way the toys could have been any cooler were if there were Lego size ones!"

"You got me, Jay." Ray said. "I mean, I'm not a Ghostbuster anymore."

Jay stopped. "Why not? Did Peter kick you off the team?! That is just so not..."

"No, no...nothing like that." Ray shook his head. "We...well, I guess you could say we caught all the ghosts and went out of business."

"So what do you do now?" Jay asked.

"I teach at a university in Idaho." Ray answered. He remembered something Cheryl had said earlier. "Plus I sometimes fix toys."

Jay felt a little embarrassed. "Well, it's not a Ghostbuster toy..."

Ray laughed. "I don't discriminate."

He looked at his Mom, Gram, and Aunt. "I guess I could get you to take a look at it..."

* * *

"Wow! The Thunderzords? Awesome!" Ray said. "So what's broken?"

"The Firebird." Jay answered, picking up the indicated toy. "The dumb girl down the street broke the wing."

Ray looked it over.

"You...know about Power Rangers?" Jay asked.

"Some." Ray shrugged. "I saw some Japanese superhero shows when I worked on a case there back in '91; I recognized that Power Rangers used some footage from some of those shows for the battle scenes and monsters and robots. It reminded me a lot of the Lizardo movies I watched as a kid."

"Most grown-ups think it's stupid." Jay noted.

Ray shrugged again. "I never understood why adults feel like they have to shut out stuff they might enjoy as part of the process of 'growing up'. It just takes an open mind. I'm not the only one-you know I got Egon Spengler to watch 'Murray the Mantis'?"

Jay laughed at that thought.

"Peter works in LA, and his son Oscar is a Power Ranger fan too." Ray continued. "Has the original Megazord, the Dragonzord, and Titanus."

"The whole original Ultrazord?!" Jay said. "Man, we never could find all that stuff here!"

"There was quite a run on it, as I recall." Ray added. "I think Oscar's sister plays with them too."

"Hope she doesn't break any of it..." Jay said sourly.

"I gather Oscar's the one more likely to break them." Ray said. There was a loud snap that scared Jay, but Ray smiled. "There! I think it's working now!"

Jay took the Firebird and looked it over. "Oh wow! It works again!"

"So show me how the Thunder Megazord works..." Ray asked.

"Okay, well..." Jay talked excitedly. "The Red Dragon Thunderzord kinda forms the basic body, like this. So the Unicorn and the Griffin become the legs, and then the Lion becomes the arms and torso, the Firebird becomes the waist armor, and then this piece of the lion..."

" 'And I'll form the head!' " Ray interrupted.

"Huh?"

Ray chuckled. "Never mind..."

"...Okay, so then here's the sword, which when the Thunder Megazord pulls it there's always this waterfall graphic and then it julienne's Lord Zedd's monster!" Jay continued.

"That's awesome!" Ray said.

"You really think so?" Jay asked. He just wasn't used to an adult seeming interested in this. At all.

"Yeah." Ray said. "Actually...in a weird way it reminds me of when I was a Ghostbuster."

"How is that?"

"It's all about friendship and teamwork." Ray answered. "There were five of us working together...we couldn't form a giant robot, but when we worked as a team, there was no ghost, demon, or metaspectre we couldn't handle! 'Five who are One' somebody once called us."

Jay hugged Ray. "Thank you so much for fixing it, Uncle Ray!"

"You're more than welcome, Jay."

As he stood there hugging his aunt's future husband, Jay Brushett returned to his original assessment.

 _I_ _am_ _gonna have the coolest uncle ever!_

* * *

 _Without love  
I wouldn't believe  
I couldn't believe in you  
And I wouldn't believe in me_

-Bernie Taupin, 1994

* * *

Based on _Ghostbusters_ Created by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis

* * *

Ectozone Editorial Staff: Dr. Vincent Belmont, EGB Fan, TheRazorsEdge.  
Additional Beta: Kingpin, OgreBBQ, Jay Tigran

* * *

Special thanks to Jay Tigran. Jay Brushett, Greg Davis, and Lori Goodling are his characters, and he aided in the development of Cheryl Hawthorne Brushett and the other members of the Hawthorne family. Years ago, when I wanted to come up with a GBOT-compatible way for his Canadian Ghostbusters character to be Ray Stantz's nephew, he worked with me on coming up with this. Finally glad the story could be told!

Lady Enlightenment created by OgreBBQ and Fritz Baugh. Some development aided by Jay Tigran.

* * *

#4419-20160525w (5Gem,26Aqu)  
137


	3. Maguc

LOVE SONGS:  
MAGIC

By Fritz Baugh

* * *

 **Previously**

* * *

Once upon a time in Romania, two teams met while investigating the same vampire lord. One team was the world-famous Ghostbusters-Dr. Ray Stantz, Dr. Egon Spengler, Winston Zeddemore, and Dr. Peter Venkman. The other team was the far-less-famous (by design) "Inquisitors" -Liz Hawthorne (the wizard Lady Enlightenment), Father Diego Portenza, Barney Lupin (the werewolf Nightclaw), and Lilly Peacecraft.

Boy (Ray) met Girl (Liz) and some sparks started to fly.

It's four years later. Boy and Girl are now planning to become Husband and Wife

* * *

 _"Time grows short, Elizabeth."_ Elsa said, her form starting to fade from view. _"Protect Zandrik's legacy well..."_

She knew this memory. It was back during the battle at Dragonsfall...next, the Covenant should appear around her...

...But it doesn't.

 _"Kinswoman..."_

"Elsa?"

 _"No...not quite. Though I was important to Master Fallagar, it was in a far different way..."_

Another woman appeared in the mists. This one was more clearly clothed, dressed in a tunic and a cape-with a brooch very similar to her own. Curiously, she seemed to be sitting in the air, cross-legged She had a long, bushy head of brown hair-with one conspicuous shock of curled blonde hair at the center of her forhead.

"Lady Melwen?" Liz realized, having seen a portrait of this woman at Dragonsfall.

The woman nodded. _The Archmage's only Hermetic student._ Liz remembered. _His biological niece, a daughter of the Margrave of Brandenburg._

 _"You will not remember this until later, I expect..."_ Melwen said. _"But you will, perhaps at the time it becomes most apparent, perhaps before...you are doing a great service to Uncle Zandrik, and I wish to impart to you a blessing."_

"Blessing?"

Melwen's left hand flicked the shock of curly blonde hair. She touched Liz's forehead over her left temple-Liz felt her head begin to tingle.

 _"To be more accurate, it's a mark."_ Melwen continued. _"The mark will appear when you have taken a very grand blessing upon yourself..."_

"I don't understand!" Liz said.

 _"You will..."_ Melwen smiled, and began to fade away...

* * *

 **England**  
 **January 2, 1995**  
 **The Twelfth Day of Capricorn in the Fourth Year of the Age of Aquarius**  
 **Ghostbusters Omnibus Timeline Year Thirteen `**

* * *

"Miss?"

Liz woke with a start; a flight attendant was shaking her gently. "Wha?"

"We'll be landing in about an hour, Miss." The attendant told her. "Do you want me to awaken your seatmate, or will you handle it?"

Liz looked over at Ray, still asleep. _He just doesn't look as natural without his Dopey Dog doll..._ she said to herself, smiling slightly. "No, I got it. Thanks."

As the attendant moved to the next row, Liz wondered for a moment. _She kind of looked like Lady Melwen...was that why I saw her in my dream?_ Except...Liz realized her forehead was tingling, just like in the dream. Just like it did for a time after she left the Twilight episode at Dragonsfall months before.

She shook the thoughts out of her head. No time for that now. "Ray?"

Ray mumbled "huh?"

"We're landing at Heathrow in about an hour." Liz said. "Time to get up."

Ray yawned, and looked at her. "You sleep okay?"

Liz shrugged. "About as well as can be expected on a transatlantic airline flight..." she leaned in and whispered somewhat seductively. "...and having to wear clothes."

"We used to have our own airplane..." Ray said. "ECTO-4. It's the only small plane I never got airsick in."

"That's reassuring." Liz laughed.

"I guess this means no good morning kiss?"

* * *

 **Suffolk County, England**  
 **Four Hours Later**

* * *

"Wow..." Ray said as he stepped out of the rental car, getting his first good look at the black, ten-story tower that dominated the landscape. "And I thought Castle Dunkeld was impressive..."

Liz bit her tongue before she said _You should see the rest of it..._ but it revealed one of the few things she had to keep from Ray-only those who actually lived here and knew that secret could divulge it (or give her permission to divulge it).

 _"Hermetic affairs are one area I have to keep a lot of secrets from you."_ she'd told him not after they became engaged. _"There are things I can tell you-things every Maga is allowed to tell their companions from precedent. When we're married, I can officially declare you Amicus, which allows me to inform you of a few more things. But even then..."_

 _"Hey, no, I understand."_ Ray'd replied. _"I mean, there's probably a lot of that stuff I couldn't understand even if you did tell me; just like I bet there's some stuff I dealt with that you wouldn't understand either...heck, there were a few things even_ _I_ _didn't understand..."_

A few minutes later, Ray and Liz climbed the stair to the ninth floor of the Nigrasaxa Apartment Complex; there was an elevator, but both decided after basically an entire day sitting in either an airplane or a car, they should stretch their legs a little.

"I mean, compared to having the climb twenty-two stories at Central Park West or that time we had to chase the Peoplebusters up the Statue of Liberty, this is nothing!" Ray had said. By the time they'd made it to the ninth floor, Ray's enthusiasm for the idea had diminished a tad, but not too badly. _Good thing I'm currently not smoking..._

"I'm going to put my Parma over you now." Liz explained. "Otherwise, Aunt Tegan's Gift might warp your perception of her. For whatever reasons, the Gift usually doesn't affect people as badly as it did during the Middle Ages, but it can still be a problem sometimes...I remember thinking Aunt Tegan had an 'aura of weirdness' when I met her..."

The "Parma" referred to the "Parma Magica", a sort of personal magic resistance field, an invention of one of the Founders of Liz's mystic society, the Order of Hermes. Ray thought about the description of the Gift-an intrinsic trait that made the learning of Hermetic magic easier-as an "aura of weirdness" and it always made him think of the first time he met the former Ghostbuster he was now most estranged from...

When the Parma was up...there was just the merest tinge of something being different...a sort of slight muffling of sound and light...Ray got over the slight disorientation quickly-like the aftertaste of a Diet Coke eventually fading away.

Liz knocked on one of the apartment doors. It sprung open apparently of its own volition.

"Aunt Tegan?" Liz said as they entered the room.

"Welcome back to Nigrasaxa, Elizabeth." A woman who didn't quite look as old as Ray was expecting appeared, and embraced Liz warmly.

"And you must be Doctor Stantz." Tegan said, turning to Ray. "In your case, welcome to Nigrasaxa for the first time."

"Call me Ray, Ms. Fielding." he said, shaking her hand. "Glad to be here! This place is neat-I mean, my Uncle was Laird of a castle in Scotland, but this is just something else!"

"Glad you find it interesting, Ray." Tegan nodded. "And feel free to call me Tegan." She smiled slightly. "Or even 'Aunt Tegan."

"Sure!" Ray said. "So where does our stuff go?"

"I have plenty of room in my apartment-I'm one of the owners of the complex, after all, and it has its perks-Elizabeth will have the service of the same guest room she occupied during her school years and her apprenticeship; I have a second guest room ready for you, Ray."

Liz rolled her eyes. "Well, I guess that will work."

"Humor me on this, Elizabeth." Tegan chuckled. "You're not married yet."

Ray laughed. "No problem, Aunt Tegan."

* * *

 **January 4, 1995**  
 **The Fourteenth Day of Capricorn in the Fourth Year of the Age of Aquarius**

* * *

"...Was quite thrilled that 'Uncle Ray' fixed his toy..." Liz said to Tegan, continuing the story of Ray's Christmas meeting with her family in Truro.

"So Justin is happy that a former Ghostbuster is going to be his 'Uncle Ray', I take it?"

"Immensely." Liz answered. She sighed. It was the perfect opportunity to ask the question that had been nagging her since their last meeting at Magvillus. "Are you?"

This time Tegan sighed. "He makes you happy, and he is quite pleasant-personally, I like him."

"But you're still worried about the politics of it?"

"I can't help but be." Tegan shook her head. "I hate that it's a consideration, but there are those in the Order who will not be pleased at one of their own-a Quaesitor, at that!-marrying a Ghostbuster."

"Then they can bring it up at the Grand Tribunal. Which will be right about the time Ray and I celebrate our twenty-fifth anniversary."

Tegan smiled. "I guess I'll just have to worry about it for both of us. So then..."

Liz wasn't sure she liked the impish gleam in Tegan's eye now.

"...Your marriage does complicate another consideration." Tegan said. "You turn thirty-five next year."

Liz sipped her tea. By Hermetic tradition, thirty-five was the age at which wizards began to use a longevity ritual; it extended their life spans, usually decades but occasionally more (the Magus Dominus, now in his ninth century of life, being a notably successful outlier). But Hermetic longevity comes at a cost:

The moment the longevity begins, the wizard becomes permanently, irrevocably sterile.

"We discussed it." Liz answered. "Thirty-five is traditional, but there have been some who wait as late as fifty. I'm not waiting that long-Ray and I do want to have one child."

"That sounds rather specific." Tegan noted.

"For my part, I don't think I could handle more than that without compromising my career to an extent I'm not comfortable with. And Ray..."

Tegan noticed the pause. " 'And Ray'?"

Liz put down the cup. "Back when we met for the second time in London, he mentioned that his family didn't get along with each other very well. He has two siblings he hasn't talked to in fifteen years, and while his father and aunt got along, they had a brother that Ray barely even met though he lived in New York. He didn't put it in so many words, but Ray's afraid that having more than one child would mean they would probably end up hating each other like his and his father's siblings did."

Tegan was silent for a moment. "And you're okay with that?"

Liz smiled. "I may be a wizard, but I know how happy Jay makes Cheryl. I doubt I can be as good a mother as she is, but I think, between Ray and I, we can do it."

"If it's a girl, and she's Gifted, you'll have a new pressure." Tegan pointed out. "To continue the lineage."

"I don't deny that's something I've thought of." Liz nodded. "But what if it's a boy, or not Gifted? I won't love him or her any less...though since you mention lineage..."

"Oh?"

"I had a rather interesting vision of our Hermetic ancestor, Lady Melwen..."

* * *

Ray was in the room Aunt Tegan had provided (a very nice room, and right next to Liz's) looking at some of the brochures about Nigrasaxa. He smiled a bit as he saw a photo of the keystone: it was marked "AD MCCI", and underneath it "MCCCXL AP".

 _"According to Hermetic theorists, the Age of Pisces started in 138 BC"_ Liz had told him. _"So all the official documents are in the astrological date...the same theorists had determined that the Age of Aquarius would end after 2155 AP, or at the spring equinox of AD 2017..."_

Liz had rolled her eyes _"Well, we were there when that was proved wrong-1AAq is AD 1991, though there's still plenty of mentions of '2137 AP' in relation to the 1998 tribunal dates. 2017 will be 27AAq"_

 _AD 1201, the founding of Nigrasaxa, would have been 1340 AP._ Ray reminded himself. It was about then that he realized that there was some kind of fluttering noise in the room.

He looked up from the papers to see a skunk staring at him.

"Well, hey there, Little Fella..." Ray said amiably. "I mean, I guess you could be a Little Lady, but I don't think I know you well enough to find out just yet." _Why is there a skunk in my room?_ He looked around, realizing the skunk was looking at Ray's half eaten sandwich. "Cheese sandwich on white bread okay?" He broke off a piece, and the skunk devoured it. "You're less picky than Charon, I see..." _I didn't even think skunks lived in this part of the world_

Ray heard someone moving around in the hall. "Fume!" a man's voice said. "Dammit, Fume, I'm getting too old for this balderdash!"

The skunk jumped down and hid under the table.

An old man peeked from the open door. "Pardon me, good Sir, but you haven't seen a skunk, have you?"

Ray pointed under the table.

"There you are!" the old man said, as the skunk hissed at him. "Don't hiss at me, you little sod!" The man pulled out what looked to Ray to be a Milk Bone. The skunk devoured it, and let the old man pick it up. "Peace offering accepted." the man said quietly. He looked at Ray. "I hope he wasn't any trouble."

Ray shrugged. "None at all! I was just about done with that sandwich anyway!"

"Eric Collins." the old man said, extending a hand. Ray shook it as Eric continued. "I help run this place, at least not when I'm chasing my wandering pet around."

"Ray Stantz." Ray said. "I'm here with the niece of Tegan Fielding."

"Ahhh..." the old man looked at Ray with an impish twinkle in his eye. "So you're little Lizzy's fiance! I've known her aunt for a long time...I remember when Lizzy was coming here on holiday from her school...you're a very lucky man, Mister Stantz."

"I know." Ray nodded. "But just call me Ray. Are you a wizard like Tegan and Liz?"

Ray suddenly realized he probably shouldn't have asked that so quickly; the old man glanced furtively at the door. He twirled one of his fingers, and a gust of wind pushed it closed.

"Ooops..." Ray said.

Eric chuckled. "No mind, Ray...just got to be careful who hears things like that. We've been trying to keep what the staff of this place really does secret for the last five hundred years plus...but obviously Liz clued you in." He bowed. "Zephyranthes, filius of Gardenia, Magus Solificato. And this is my familiar, Fume."

"I'm not a wizard, but I've walked in those circles some." Ray said. "I was a Ghostbuster."

Eric laughed. "Now that sounds like exactly the sort of man little Lizzy would go for! I thought the name sounded familiar...I don't pay much attention to the news, but even I've heard of the Ghostbusters...the Solificati do have some old historic ties to the Sons of Ether, after all..."

"Well, I'm not actually an Etherite." Ray shrugged. "A friend of mine was, but he said the meetings are kind of dull." By this point Fume was on the floor, affectionately rubbing Ray's legs much like a housecat would.

"I think Fume likes you-he's a great judge of character, except when he picked some dumb bloke to be his wizard." Eric said. "So how did you meet Lizzy, anyway?"

"Chasing vampires in Transylvania." Ray said brightly.

Eric guffawed again.

"Well, I mean, that really was..." Ray said sheepishly.

"I believe you!" Eric replied. "No wonder you two hit it off!"

* * *

Liz knocked on Ray's door, and was surprised to hear a voice she knew, but wasn't her fiance's, announce "Enter!"

"...So anyway, he said 'You have my gratitude for the Astorath event, and for finding my cat, so here's a reward'-and there was a gold bar there! It paid off our credit card debt and all of our bills for the next six months!" Ray said to his visitor. Ray had a mug in front of him, and his cheeks were looking a bit flushed; Fume was curled up on Ray's head, and Ray didn't even seem to notice.

"Outstanding." Eric laughed. "Hullo, Lizzy...Ray was just telling me about the time he and his friends met Primus Eventide..."

"And treating him to some of your 'special recipe' I see..." Liz rolled her eyes

"I told you it loosens people up." Eric said brightly. "Anyway, since you're here now, can you watch Fume for just a moment? I'll be right back!"

Before she could answer, he got up and left the room quickly. Ray looked down at the mug in front of him. "What's in this stuff, anyway? I don't feel drunk, but man, I haven't felt so buzzed since the time we let Peter bake brownies..."

"Some sort of herbal extract that...well, loosens inhibitions." Liz shrugged. "Eric's...well..."

"A wizard, I know." Ray nodded. "Probably should have expected this..."

"It's not magic, if that's what you were wondering." Liz chuckled. "My Parma's on you and would protect from that."

"So it's something natural?" Ray chuckled back. "Don't tell Peter...he'd want to get the recipe and make a mint off of it. Until the government outlawed it, anyway."

She reached up and skritched Fume's head; the skunk chirped affectionately and responded to the gesture. "I'm glad you seem to get along with him...I was a little worried..."

"Why?" Ray asked.

"Because...well, he is one of Aunt Tegan's friends." Liz looked a little uncomfortable "And Aunt Tegan was afraid he'd be jealous of you."

" 'Jealous'?" Ray said, looked just a little more sober.

"She's convinced he was a little...I dunno...sweet on me or something back in the day. 'If he was two hundred years younger he'd be after you himself' and all that..." Liz still looked rather embarrassed by the admission.

Ray rolled his eyes and shrugged. "Well, he has eyes and isn't brain damaged as far as I can see, so..."

"Ah, there you two are! Good job keeping them from rutting, Fume, that would make this awkward!" Eric said, as he swept back into the room.

He pulled out a box. "Now, the bad news is, while I'm immensely flattered by your invitation to your nuptials, I must sadly decline."

Liz looked a little shocked. "I don't understand, Eric..."

Eric shook his head. "I'm getting way too old to be gallivanting around the world, Lizzy." He sighed. "We can't all be the Magus Dominus or Archmage Dubh, after all."

"Eric, I..."

"No, no...don't." the old man shook his head. "I was born the same year as King George IV, and outlived the bloody bastard by over a century and a half. I have no regrets."

"Wow..." Ray whistled. "George IV? That'd be some time in the 1700's..."

"1762 to be precise." Eric specified. "But that isn't important right now."

He opened the box. He pulled out a book. "This is your wedding present, Lizzy. It's a collection of some lab texts I think you might find useful." He winked at her. "One of them is the formula for the perfume I gave you for your Gauntlet."

"Oh Eric, I...thank you." she said, taking the book.

"And you..." he looked at Ray. He pulled out a small object, a bag. "The bag is a good luck charm of sorts. Inside are the enchanted seeds of a zephyr lilly; don't open the bag or it will disrupt the magic."

Ray looked at the bag. He had a skeptical side, but unlike Egon or Peter he wasn't going to make a fuss about the illogic of it or anything. He knew the old man meant well... _And he is a wizard...you never know..._ "Thanks, Eric!"

"I wish you both a long and happy life." Eric said. "You deserve it. Just like you deserve your time together without a stupid old man in the way. Fume!"

The skunk made an elaborate show of yawning wearily before jumping off of Ray's head. _That thing has got to be part housecat..._ Ray thought as Fume scampered out of the room.

"Dammit, don't you dare lock me out of the lab again!" Eric shouted at his departing familiar. He stopped and bowed. "Well met, Ray Stantz, but I must now take leave!" He moved off just a little bit faster than you might expect from a man of his apparent age (to say nothing of his actual age).

"That guy is quite a character." Ray said, laughing softly.

"He is, though." Liz nodded. "The first time I met him Fume'd chased him out of his lab. The thought of the strange old man being chased by a skunk like some kind of demented Pepe LePew cartoon was endearing."

Ray nodded at the surreality of the thought.

"Anyway..." Liz coughed. "I thought you should know what my Aunt just told me..."

* * *

 _Here for you, that's what you said_  
 _I never felt like this with a woman, any woman_  
 _Strangers meet, strangers dream_  
 _Some call it love_  
 _I call it magic_

-Mick Smiley, 1984

* * *

Based on _Ghostbusters_ Created by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis

* * *

Ectozone Editorial Staff: Dr. Vincent Belmont, EGB Fan, TheRazorsEdge.  
Additional Beta: Kingpin, OgreBBQ

* * *

Lady Enlightenment created by OgreBBQ and Fritz Baugh. Some development aided by Jay Tigran.

Tegan Fielding/Lady Persuasion, Eric Collins/Zephryanthes, and Fume created by Fritz Baugh.

Phineus Eventide created by James Van Hise and Howard Bender; he first appeared in Now's _Real Ghostbusters #12_

The Hermetic Calendar is loosely based on a system from the role playing game _Ars Magica_ by Atlas Games. More information can be found here.

* * *

#4500-20170409u  
140


	4. Inspiration

**Ghostbusters: Love Songs-Inspiration**

 **By Fritz Baugh**

* * *

 **Previously**

* * *

Once upon a time in Romania, two teams met while investigating the same vampire lord. One team was the world-famous Ghostbusters-Dr. Ray Stantz, Dr. Egon Spengler, Winston Zeddemore, and Dr. Peter Venkman. The other team was the far-less-famous (by design) "Inquisitors" -Liz Hawthorne (the wizard Lady Enlightenment), Father Diego Portenza, Barney Lupin (the werewolf Nightclaw), and Lilly Peacecraft.

Boy (Ray) met Girl (Liz) and some sparks started to fly.

It's four years later. Boy and Girl are now planning to become Husband and Wife

* * *

 **Friendship, Maine**  
 **Friday, May 26, 1995**  
 **The Fourth Day of Gemini in the Fifth Year of the Age of Aquarius**  
 **Ghostbusters Omnibus Timeline Year Thirteen**

* * *

Ray Stantz had spent most of his life looking for proof of the supernatural, and more than half of the previous dozen years since he'd seen a ghost up close in an occupation that dealt with them just about every day. He had developed some good instincts in the area.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked one last time.

A translucent white head nodded.

Ray sighed as he set the ghost trap back on the floor of the old mansion. He stomped on the foot pedal, and the trap doors sprung open. Three sheet-white Class 3's, somewhat indistinct in form-cartoony caricatures of what they had (probably) been in life-were ejected from their confinement.

The three ghosts were dazed for a few seconds, then as they got their wits they looked around. Upon seeing Ray they screamed and hid behind a couch.

"Okay, guys, now listen up. Your nephew seems like a pretty nice kid, and he says I should give you three another chance." He picked up the trap and attached it to its housing on the left side of his proton pack. "So treat him better, or I'll be back-and I won't take it so easy on you."

The three gulped.

Ray looked at the smaller ghost, indistinct and "cartoony" like his "uncles", but smaller, about the size of a child of about twelve. "Okay, Kiddo. I hope I won't regret this, but your uncles are free. And I think I know how I might convince those people out there to leave you guys alone."

"Thank you so much, Mister Ghostbuster!" the child ghost beamed.

"Th...thank you..." the three larger ones stuttered from behind the couch.

Ray messed up his hair, took a deep breath, and ran out of the house at full speed.

* * *

Liz looked out the window of the car when she heard crashing. Several pieces of dilapidated furniture were flung out the front door, and she saw Ray running out of the house.

 _Wow...that was quick...he's only been in there ten minutes..._

An aristocratic looking woman and a man whom Liz swore looked like Monty Python member Eric Idle were waiting for him. Ray stopped in front of the woman. "'Who Ya Gonna Call?' Someone else!"

With that, he ran to the car, and in mock panic begged Liz to drive.

They got about a mile away, and he had her stop. His face finally broke, and he started laughing uproariously.

"Okay, now I'm really confused." Liz said.

Ray calmed down. "Sorry, I...wow, I gotta admit, it felt good to be busting ghosts again, even if just as a one-shot deal."

Liz rolled her eyes. "Well, Ray Parker did say so in his song..."

Ray chuckled again. "Yeah. Find a Krazy's or something-I don't know if you're gonna believe this story."

* * *

 **Twenty Minutes Later**

* * *

"...Miss Crittenden said that the old place, Whipstaff Manor, was haunted..." Ray explained, eating a fry. "So when they realized who I was they asked me to bust the place."

"Good thing you brought all your gear because Jay wanted to see it all, right?" Liz chuckled.

"Yeah..." Ray nodded. "Well, it was haunted: four Class Threes. The three 'older' ones were obnoxious and came at me, but even with a few years of rust...wow, it was like riding a bicycle. I barely broke a sweat zapping and trapping those guys. I really miss this."

"I know."

"But then the last one, he was younger looking, looked at me with sad eyes, and explained that his 'uncles' didn't always treat him well, but they were all he had, and could I let them out." Ray paused. "Well, I figured the kid seemed okay, and I realized I really couldn't keep the uncles without finding a containment unit to empty them into, so I let them out, kinda gave them my best 'Don't do this again' talk, and then when I went outside acted like they'd whipped me so that maybe the lady who hired me would leave them all alone." He shrugged. "Thought it was worth a try."

Liz laughed. "You always did have a big heart, but that's one of the many reasons I love you so much. I just hope you weren't being played."

Ray nodded. "I know...Peter will probably say the same thing. But honestly, there was something that the lady who hired me wasn't telling me-I hope maybe this puts an end to whatever she was up to." He chuckled. "Them throwing some furniture at me as I left was a nice touch."

Liz smiled and finished her drink. "Now that that's done, we can get moving. It'd be rather embarrassing to be late to our own wedding."

* * *

 **Truro, Nova Scotia**  
 **Saturday, May 27, 1995**  
 **Fifth Day of Gemini**

* * *

"...Charged particles from the power cell are injected into the cyclotron, they're accelerated to make the positively charged ion stream we use to catch ghosts."

Ray gestured as he spoke, making a spinning motion over the cyclotron. Justin "Jay" Brushett, Liz's nephew-and thus soon to be Ray's nephew-nodded in understanding.

"So ghosts are negatively charged, like an electron, right?"

"Yeah." Ray nodded. "That's why we hit them with positive particles-protons-to weaken them and make it easier to trap them."

Jay lifted the pack. "Wow...it's so heavy. You and Egon ever think of making it lighter?"

Ray chuckled. "Actually, right before we had to go out of business, we made it heavier-a bunch of add-on modules like a miniature slime blower. But making it heavier made it harder to use, so we didn't keep that idea."

Ray adjusted one of the dials on the thrower. "There was a guy who invented a really small proton pistol, but it only had six shots before it had to be recharged. Egon and I did start some concept work on a smaller pack that split the difference, a pistol that worked off a sort of proton battery core carried on a belt pack, but never built one before everything went bad."

"So what's this thing here do?" Jay pointed to the large silver knob near the cyclotron.

"That's a Clippard R-331 minimatic modular valve." Ray answered. "It..."

There was a knock on the door, and Jay's mother Cheryl opened the door. "Sorry to interrupt, guys-but Ray's friends and aunt's train is getting in soon. We need to leave now to pick them up."

"Thanks, Cheryl." Ray said. "I'll have to explain the rest of it later. But you'e picking it up pretty quick."

"I always wanted to be a Ghostbuster when I grow up." Jay answered. "I guess since there aren't any anymore, being the nephew of one is I guess as close as I'll ever get."

Ray found himself saying "You never know, Jay. We went out of business but came back once before-who knows what the future will bring?"

* * *

Ray sighed.

"You okay?" Cheryl asked.

"Yeah." Ray nodded.

That wasn't totally accurate, of course. Talking with Jay about upgrading the proton packs, his recent bust of the trio of ghosts...it reminded him how surprisingly ambivalent he was about the fact that two of his dearest friends in the world wouldn't be at his wedding.

Ray and Egon had a lot of time to play around with the proton pack designs during the fall of 1991-the business had dried up terribly after the Zodiac Imperative incident in June. Even the fact that Egon was spending a lot of time away from the Firehouse, and coming back at odd hours with lipstick smeared on his face and the occasional red hair stuck to his clothes, still left them plenty of opportunity to tinker.

But then, just after the Architect incident, it all went to crap.

Ray wished Egon and Janine would be there. But they wouldn't be. Egon never answered the phone. Janine apologized profusely, but couldn't take the time off...and Ray, reading between the lines, guessed she and Louis were having some major problems. (Louis wouldn't be attending either, but frankly, that didn't bother Ray at all.)

At the same time, he was ambivalent because...if either, or worse both Egon and Janine, had shown up, the chances of the truths Ray and Winston had (reluctantly) agreed to keep from Peter coming out would have grown to near inevitability. He understood why they kept that drama out of Peter's wedding to Dana, and he certainly didn't want it in his to Liz. But at the end of the day...he was lying to his oldest friend in the world, he hated it, and feared the day it all came out.

And, though it made him feel guilty, he was glad that day had been delayed once more.

* * *

"...Swear if those idiots mess up the flower order I will not be held responsible for what I do to them!" Patricia Fielding Hawthorne snarled as she hung up the phone.

"It'll be okay, Mom." Liz rolled her eyes.

A blonde woman chuckled. "My Mum was on edge too when my brother got married." she said in a clipped English accent. "I suppose it's to be expected."

Liz looked at the woman, trying to figure out if there was some intentional subtext to the mention of her brother's wedding.

Nyssa Blake was an old friend of Liz's, one of the main ones she made while attending the Rein•Hagen Academy in Nyssa's home country of England. Nyssa's blonde hair was held back by a headband and she sported earrings featuring a crescent shape; all this time later, Liz couldn't remember which of the two had influenced the other in adopting that look.

Nyssa continued what she was saying to Liz before Patricia's outburst. "Anyway, Terminus has started treating patients with the antiretroviral Saquinavir, and it's going smashingly so far."

"Glad to hear that." Liz nodded. "It's a bloody beast of a disease." _Even the Magi Aegroti haven't figured it out yet..._

Terminus was the London hospital that Nyssa worked as a biochemist at. It was one of the leading HIV/AIDS facilities in the United Kingdom.

Patricia raised an eyebrow. "Wasn't Nyssa's brother Adric?"

Liz coughed. "Yes."

"Adric and Iris are going to celebrate their fifth anniversary in June." Nyssa explained. "Probably right around the time Zoe's little brother or sister will be born."

"Adric still teaching maths in Hertforshire?" Liz asked.

Nyssa nodded. "Yes, Ma'am. He complains about the 'little hellions' he deals with, but still quite enjoys it."

"I imagine." Patricia laughed awkwardly. "Sorry about my questions-an old boyfriend is the last thing Lizzy wants to be talking about today."

"True. But I suppose it was inevitable." Liz shrugged "Last time I saw Jun, she said you weren't overly impressed with Miss Iris."

"I wasn't." Nyssa admitted. "But she's grown on me. Still...she's not you."

"And Ray's not Adric." Liz noted. "Does that bother you?"

"Ray does seem very nice." Nyssa shrugged. "It's hard for me to compare him to someone I've known my whole life, though. You kept Adric on his toes...Iris just agrees with everything he says. Despite my best efforts she has a very soft backbone." Nyssa sighed. "I still rather would have had you as a sister-in-law, but that ship has sailed...twice after tomorrow."

"I did wonder sometimes..." Liz admitted. "What if things had been different?" She shook her head "But they aren't. Adric is part of my past, and there are some moments I'll always remember fondly. Ray's my present, and my future."

Nyssa rubbed her eyes and nodded. "So...speaking of Jun, do you think she's going to make it?"

Liz shrugged. "With her, you can never tell."

* * *

 **Truro Railway Hub**

* * *

"Peter!" Ray couldn't help it-he shouted the name out loud like he was a little kid excited to see his big brother. Which is actually close to how he felt, save for the fact that even on this occasion Ray wouldn't be as happy to see his actual big brother.

"There he is!" Winston Zeddemore called and pointed. His wife Kaila was next to him. Peter Venkman, who was talking to one of the railway workers waved.

"Ray!" this call came from the portly, middle-aged woman with the group: Ray's Aunt Lois.

There was a quick round of hugs. "Dana couldn't make it?" Ray asked.

Venkman gave him noogies. "Somebody scheduled their wedding for the Memorial Day weekend before school let out in our district instead of in the middle of June like a normal person, so Oscar had to stick around to finish First Grade and his Mom had to stay with him."

"oops." Ray shrugged.

"But she sends her best." Venkman finished.

"Momma and Dad volunteered to watch Charlene." Winston said. "My niece Patty lives in New York now and wanted to see her too."

"Angie let her do that?" Venkman asked.

"Patty is almost twenty, Peter." Winston answered, rolling his eyes.

Venkman shook his head. "Man, somebody aught to do something about all that time passing and all..."

"So how was your trip?" Ray asked just a little too quickly, fearful that further contemplation of time distortion might bring another name into the discussion.

"Like I was telling this guy Joe..." Venkman's face lit up. "I love trains! I wanted to be an engineer when I grew up! I studied..."

" 'I studied engineering for two years before I realized it had nothing to do with trains' " Ray and Winston broke in in unison.

"They've heard that one before." Venkman said, not missing a beat.

"Hey, Joe!" Cheryl said. "That guy behave himself?"

"Eh." Joe answered.

"These will be my in-laws tomorrow." Ray explained. "Liz's sister, Cheryl Brushett, and her husband Joe."

"Well, I'd say that Joe, like Ray, is a very lucky man." Venkman made an exaggerated flourish and kissed Cheryl's hand. "Dr. Peter Venkman, Hollywood agent."

Cheryl rolled her eyes. "I was warned about you, Dr. Venkman."

"I am shocked!" Venkman replied. "Ray knows I've been happily married for the last three years!"

"Old habits die hard." Winston quipped, lightly jabbing Venkman in the ribs.

: "Yeah, well..." Venkman inhaled. "Great. Somebody just wants me to look bad today."

Ray and Winston saw Venkman's eyes go wide, and were not surprised when they turned and saw a very attractive Asian woman, her hair dyed green, getting out of the next passenger car. A very pale man who was a little more bundled up than perhaps he should be followed her. "Your bags, Miss Jun."

"Thank you, Mister Lee." she nodded, in a surprisingly non-Asian accent, sounding more like a posh Londoner. "So this is Truro."

"You want proof I've changed, Miz Brushett?" Venkman asked. "The guy I was ten or fifteen years ago would already be over there chatting that exquisite example of humanity up something fierce."

Kaila nodded. "He's got us there. Though I'd think that guy she's with looked tough enough to at least give him pause."

Ray squinted as he watched the couple head toward the rental car counter. "Especially since I swear he looks like Lee Fei Long."

"Yeah, but Fei Long is dead, Ray." Venkman retorted.

"What line of work were all three of us in again?" Winston countered.

"Touche." Venkman had to admit.

* * *

 **Truro, Nova Scotia**  
 **Sunday, May 28, 1995**  
 **Sixth Day of Gemini**

* * *

"Well, it's your last chance now, Ray." Venkman quipped. "If you want to make a break for it, I can provide a distraction."

Ray laughed. "Peter, Liz is someone who could hunt me to the ends of the Earth with magic. Even if I wanted to run-and I most definitely don't-it's too late now."

"I know, I know..." he gently cuffed Ray. "But had to make the offer-that's what best friends do."

"What kind of distraction anyway, even though I'm afraid of the answer?" Winston asked.

"I thought maybe some showtunes." Venkman replied, and started to croon a song from _Cats_. Winston put his hand over Venkman's mouth.

"Are you ready, Raymond?" Father Diego Garcia Portenza entered the room. Portenza was a Catholic priest by trade, but as the former Ghostbusters also knew, a monster hunter in the service of the Vatican; it was the Ghostbusters' encounter with Father Portenza's "Inquisitor" team that introduced Ray Stantz and Liz Hawthorne to each other, and thus started them on the road to his day.

Ray nodded. "Just about, Padre." He gave Portenza a thumbs up.

Venkman and Winston gave their friend a hug. The three men left, and Ray was left alone for a moment to gather his thoughts. _Alone for maybe the last time..._ Ray thought wistfully.

Aunt Lois had brought him something-a letter from his past. Elaine Fuhrman, the young lady he'd falled madly in love with as a child, and kept loving from afar for quite a few years afterwards.

 _Dear Ray,_

 _I hope you're not mad that Aunt Lois let me know what was happening. She told me you were marrying someone you met as a Ghostbuster; I admit my first thought was "I thought the redhaired lady was going out with the tall blond guy", but Aunt Lois set me right on that-it was someone I'd never met._

 _I'm very happy for you, Ray. I know we didn't part on the best of terms; it was all my fault for not knowing what I wanted out of life or in someone to share it with. I don't know if I ever could have been what you wanted me to be, to feel about you the way you did for me for so long, so I'm glad you found someone who could be that person, and probably a lot more of her._

 _I've moved on in a way I never would have expected; I fell in love with Alan Favish and..._

 _Dear God, no, but I had you going for a second there, didn't I?_

 _No, what I really mean is this: a couple of years ago, two orphan children were found in a barn by the Morrisville police. They were only a few months old; despite their best efforts, the police and even the FBI haven't been able to track down their parents or figure out what happened or why the babies were left there._

 _Long story short, I ended up fostering them...and then adopting them. Their names are Carlton and Julianna, but ended up being called CJ and Jules. They fulfill me in a way I never thought I could be...and they're my everything._

 _Maybe someday, when you and Elizabeth get the time, I'd love to introduce them to Uncle Ray. And maybe a cousin or two if it's in the cards?_

 _Congratulations and best wishes to you and the lucky Mrs. Stantz, with all my love._

 _-Elaine_

Ray sniffled. _Yeah...maybe we will at that..._ He wiped his eyes and set the letter down. For a moment he inevitably wondered what his life would be like right now if things had gone differently with her...but the moment passed quickly. _One less loose end in my life.._

* * *

"How do I look?" Liz asked nervously.

"Absolutely gorgeous." Patricia replied, eyes starting to mist.

"Now don't you start crying, Mom. Then I will too and my makeup will run..."

"It's amazing I made it through mine." Cheryl half-joked.

"I think it's about time to get your Father. I..." Patricia opened the door, and Lois Stantz was there. "Aunt Lois!"

"Hello, Patricia. I hope I'm not interrupting anything..."

"Nonsense!" Liz replied.

"I'll be back in a few." Patricia said.

"I think I need to make sure Jay's ready." Cheryl hugged her sister. "You're gonna do great."

Liz and Lois were alone.

"You look exquisite, Dear." Lois said. "I think Ray's going to be very pleased."

"I hope so." Liz admitted.

Lois wiped her eyes. "I feel like such a fraud...Caroline should be the one in here...and my brother David. It's not..."

"Hey." Liz cut her off. "None of that."

She had Lois sit down, and kneeled beside her. "Aunt Lois, you know deep down they're here. And don't think for a minute you're a 'fraud'..." She hugged Lois. "One thing Ray and I have in common...is that we were both blessed with more than one Mother. I'm lucky enough that the woman who birthed me is still here, and I love her dearly...but there's also my own Aunt Tegan, who gave me the love and guidance I needed when my Mom couldn't be there, out in England."

Lois was crying.

Liz was too. "And she's here. Which means that if Ray's other Mom wasn't here, too, it wouldn't be right."

"Oh Dear..." Lois laughed through the tears. "You're mascara's running all over the place..."

"I'll catch it." Liz chuckled.

* * *

"It's almost time, Ray." Winston said, giving Ray a last hug as he went to his seat. Ray didn't feel nervous at all.

He took a moment to look around. Aunt Lois was his only living relative in attendance; his second cousin Samantha had been invited, but couldn't attend due to her workload on the Peterson farm. Winston and Kaila sat with her; Venkman, of course, was going to be Ray's best man.

Liz's "side" was a little fuller, of course, being her hometown. Her mother Patricia, her sister Cheryl, brother-in-law Joe, and nephew Jay. Just behind them was Liz's "Aunt", Tegan Fielding-actually Patricia's cousin. But also, as Liz had told Lois not long ago, Liz's "other Mother"-her instructor in the Hermetic arts.

Also there was Liz's maternal grandfather, Matt Fielding. Ray was kind of struck how much the man resembled the first _Doctor Who_ lead actor, William Hartnell, albeit with a steamshovel jawline.

Nyssa Blake, one of Liz's classmates from Rein•Hagen Academy was there; next to Nyssa was, surprisingly enough, the green haired Asian woman Ray and the others had seen getting off the train. Her name was Dao Jun, and was another of Liz's old classmates (and, as Liz had told Ray, another member of the Order). The man who looked just like Lee Fei Long sat with her.

There were a few faces Ray was more familiar with: Barney Lupin and Lilly Peacecraft, who had been in the "Inquisitors" with Liz and Father Portenza. Not totally surprisingly at this point, Ray's former student Mariko Fuyuno was there as Barney's date. Ray heard Barney saying to Lilly "So, do you think Sergei will show up?"

"I...I don't think he was invited..." Lilly replied.

Barney guffawed. "You think that'd stop him?"

Even the covenant of Dragonsfall, where Liz had spent three years, was represented. The Archmage, Zandrik Fallagar, was accompanied by his "Marshall of the Guard" Styx (who had been given a glamour that made everyone who didn't know what hobgoblins were not notice he was one) and halfling companions Coda and Terchi. They looked quite presentable, but Ray wasn't surprised to hear Coda complaining about having to wear a dress. "And Lor' look at me, I even shaved me feet...I 'opes Miz 'Lizabef appreciates me doin' this bullshit..."

"I finks y' looks lovely." Terchi told her.

She grumbled something about smacking him upside the head, but blushed and quieted down.

Father Portenza nodded, and the familiar strains of the "Wedding March" filled the room.

Ray grinned to himself, and spent a second holding the "good luck charm" he'd received from one of Aunt Tegan's covenantmates, which was in his pocket. _For luck._

Ray about swallowed his tongue when she appeared.

Max Hawthorne, Patricia's husband, father of Cheryl and Liz was there, of course, but Ray barely saw him:

She wasn't overly made up. She wasn't wearing a veil -she'd insisted on avoiding that "cliche" element-and without a headband for once her hair reminded Ray a little of her sister's wild locks. Her hair was gathered by a long white bow that trailed behind her as a sort of pseudo-train.

The dress was simple; strapless, with flared sleeves. The combined effect made her look, Ray grinned inwardly, more like a white witch than a bride.

Ray felt a pang of self consciousness, standing there in the pea soup green suit Venkman had begged him not to wear; but the smile of approval Liz gave him made him feel ten feet tall.

And worthy of this woman.

Ray barely heard Father Portenza start the ceremony, barely registered the handshake from Max.

 _Oh my God...somehow the most beautiful and perfect woman in the world...is marrying_ _ **me?!**_

Truth to tell...

...Her thoughts were much the same...

 _Dear God I never thought a man could look so good in pea soup green...and he's marrying me?!_

"Raymond Francis, do you take Elizabeth Lucille for your lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I do."

"Elizabeth Lucille, do you take Raymond Francis for your lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I do."

"What has been joined together today, let no man or god split asunder." Portenza declared. "The rings, please?"

"Elizabeth, receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity."

"Raymond, receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity."

"Elizabeth and Raymond, my Dear Friends. By the power vested in me by the Queen of the United Kingdom, and by Almighty God Himself, I now pronounce you Husband and Wife."

The small room broke out in thunderous applause as Mr. and Mrs. Stanz kissed.

"Welcome to the family, Uncle Ray!" Jay shouted. His mother glared at him. "What? I've been waiting to call him that for months!"

* * *

 **An Hour Later; The Reception**

* * *

"You got thrown out of Trader Vic's?!" Terchi asked incredulously.

"Not just thrown out, but banned for life!" Mariko added excitedly. Lilly was burying her face in her hands.

"The greatest night of my life!" Barney cried proudly.

Terchi and Barney were exchanging high-fives. Coda was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

"So you and Liz figure out what you're going to do now?" Winston asked. "I mean, after the honeymoon, of course." He added impishly.

"Sleep a lot, as a guess." Venkman quipped.

Ray coughed. "Well, I mean, I gotta admit, I wasn't surprised that the University fired me-that botched pyrokinesis experiment caused a lot of damage." He shrugged. "The Qu...her bosses want her to look into some situations in the Rockies. There's a covenant in Denver that might be able to help us get an apartment if nothing else."

"My offer still stands, Ray." Venkman said. "You decide to take that honeymoon in Tahiti later, I will set it up."

Ray nodded. "Thanks, Peter. We couldn't pass up a week in Dragonsfall, though. I mean, I guess it really is the place Liz and I fell in love."

* * *

Styx stared.

Lee Fei Long stared back.

Styx kept staring.

Fei Long kept staring back.

Styx grunted.

Fei Long grunted as well.

"Lor did I come to the wrong place to get away from the bull ruttin'." Coda snorted. "So you's two gonna gets a room or what?"

"I do not trust this undead abomination." Styx said simply.

"An oni in a place such as this bears serious watching." Fei Long said in response. "I will allow no harm to come to Mistress Jun."

"I don't's fink 'e likes you either, Styx." Coda said as she forcefully took off the shoes she hated and started to walk off barefoot. "Jus' rememba' th' Archmage said no trouble."

"I will not start it." Styx declared. "At least not this time."

"Mistress Jun has ordered my best behavior." Fei Long added. "I will not be responsible for any 'trouble' either."

"Oh, Lor, jus' pash already..."

* * *

"Everything is in readiness when you are, Raymond."

Ray was slightly startled by the Archmage's sudden appearance next to him.

"And of course, my deep congratulations to you and Elizabeth both." Fallagar continued.

"Thanks, Sir." Ray replied, shaking his hand. "Glad you made it. Liz didn't sound sure..."

"I wouldn't miss this for anything." Fallagar shook his head. "Elizabeth became a dear friend in the years she lived with us...and now, by extension, so are you. I..." He paused for a second, and his eyes seemed to be looking at a time or place far away. "I envy you both, finding each other, and being able to be together."

Ray started to stammer something, he wasn't even sure what, but the Archmage broke in "A good luck charm of some sort? From Elizabeth?"

"Huh? Oh...no Sir, from one of her Aunt Tegan's covenantmates." Ray answered, realizing what Fallagar was talking about. "A Magus Solificato, actually." Ray said more quietly.

Fallagar nodded, with an enigmatic slight smile. "Glad to hear it."

"I'll pass along your message to Liz." Ray said. "I think I'm about ready, myself."

* * *

"Absolutely amazing." Jun shook her head. "I remember back during the Grand Tribunal joking with you about whether the Ghostbusters were datable. I never would have expected you to marry one eight years later."

Liz chuckled. "I know, I know. Not the one you would have dated either."

Jun looked around with just a glimmer of mischief in her eye. "Too bad he's married now, too." She sighed with exaggerated wistfulness. "That night would have been memorable..."

"Don't. Even. Think. About it." Liz said firmly.

"I'm not." Jun laughed. "Though I may be remembering wrong, but weren't there four Ghostbusters? Where's the prissy blond one?"

Liz sighed, making a gesture to have Jun be quieter. "Sore spot. He and the others aren't talking to him anymore. Mostly his fault, from what I know."

"Just as well. I recall half the girls in Lian's class's science club were mad about him, even though to me he looks like he'd freeze you solid."

"At least he's alive." Liz retorted. She spared a glance at Styx and Fei Long's standoff. "What on Earth possessed you to bring your zombie to a wedding attended by three Ghostbusters and a Catholic Inquisitor?"

Jun rolled her eyes. "Lizzie, how many times do I have to tell you..."

" 'He's not a zombie, he's a Jiang Shi' " Liz joined her to finish the admonishment.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Stantz." Patricia broke in. "It's about time to wrap things up and throw the bouquet."

"And who is that with Mister Stantz?" Jun asked. "I don't think Lee likes that hobgoblin he arrived with."

Liz looked around quickly. "That's the Archmage."

Jun's eyes went wide. "That's the man who turned the Special Tribunal into a circus?" She elbowed Liz. "I can see why you spent three years with him...and Raymond is all right with that?"

Liz rolled her eyes. "I keep telling you, it wasn't like that. He's eight hundred years old, and...very eccentric."

"You have yet to say anything that sounds deal-breaking to me."

Beside them, Patricia coughed.

"You know, Jun, you think you can handle him go for it." Liz rolled her eyes. "I have a honeymoon to begin."

* * *

Coda, frankly, found all of this incredibly irritating. "You needs to 'ave a party to signify you're gonna shag and make sprogs? Don't seem worf the trouble to me..."

"The bride and groom are about to depart!" She heard Miss Elizabeth's mother say. Coda didn't understand this whole thing, but did want to wish the couple well, so she pushed her way through the crowd.

"She's throwing the bouquet now!" Mrs. Hawthorne announced.

A bundle of flowers was hurled through the air. "Seems a waste'a' good plants t' me." With little effort, she hopped up and snagged them.

The people around her started applauding, though one person tactlessly asked "Is she even old enough?"

"Old enough to whut, Baldy?!" Coda snarled.

"Get married." Miss Elizabeth's friend, the one with the green hair, answered. "It's one of the West's little rituals-according to the folklore, the girl who catches the bouquet is the next one to get married."

"OH 'ELLS NO!" Coda shouted, and flung the now-offending item over her shoulder.

"Hah! Got it!" The woman who came with the werewolf exclaimed. "Look at this, Fuzzbutt-we're next!"

"Doesn't count!" Barney protested. "The hobbit got it first!"

"I can'ts wait for this whole stupid day to be over...where is the Archmage?" Coda stormed off.

* * *

Archmage Zandrik Fallagar saw his impatient companion storming his way. Like everyone else, he was amused by the scene that had just played out.

" 'Ow much longer does we 'ave to stays here, Boss?" she asked.

"Elizabeth and Raymond are going back to the Hawthorne residence to change. When they return, the wedding party will have dispersed, and we will be safe to take them back to Dragonsfall." Fallagar answered.

"Nots soon enough." Coda said, arms crossed. "And if that dink Terchi gets all swoony on me just 'cause of that 'ole dumbarse flower business..."

Fallagar chuckled inwardly.

His thoughts returned to the artifact he'd sensed on Ray.

 _What have you foreseen, Master Zephyranthes?_ he thought to himself. _And how does that charm factor into it?_

* * *

 _You know our love was meant to be  
The kind of love that lasts forever  
And I need you here with me  
From tonight until the end of time_

 _-Peter Cetera & David Foster, 1984  
_

* * *

Based on _Ghostbusters_ Created by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis

* * *

Ectozone Editorial Staff: Dr. Vincent Belmont, EGB Fan, TheRazorsEdge.  
Additional Beta: Kingpin, OgreBBQ  
Additional Consultation: Jay Tigran, Farah White

* * *

Lady Enlightenment created by OgreBBQ and Fritz Baugh. Some development aided by Jay Tigran.

Yeah, I couldn't help myself. I'd wanted to take a potshot at _Casper_ for years; I could have easily been even meaner about it.

I consulted the awesome new _Haynes Ghostbusters Ectomobile Owner's Workship Manual_ by Troy Benjamin (formerly "netsolo") and Marc Sumerak for some of the details about proton pack mechanics.

Kaila McMillan Zeddemore based on a character created by James Van Hise and Phil Hester. Developed by Brian Reilly. Charlene Zeddemore created by OgreBBQ and Fritz Baugh, with some development by EGBFan. Patty Tolan based on a character created by Paul Feig and Katie Dippold.

Dao Jun loosely based on a character created by Hiroyuki Takei. Fei Long is both a reference to another Takei chaacter, and to a character from _Street Fighter_ (If TheRazorsEdge can use _Mortal Kombat_ characters, why not?)

CJ and Jules Furhman based on characters created by Farah White.

Inquisitors created by OgreBBQ.

Archmage Fallagar, Coda Monkeyfang, and Terchi Bagwise created by Fritz Baugh. Advice on Coda and Terchi's accents provided by EGBFan. Styx created by OgreBBQ and Fritz Baugh, and any resemblance to a character created by Steven Moffat is a complete coincidence, you Rutan scum.

* * *

#4557-20180315r (24Pis, 27AAq)  
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